2nd Day of Preschool

I'm not going to lie... It was crazy....But in such a wonderful way. I am sure that my teaching tactics would not fly in a military preschool, a boarding school, or even a Real school. You see I like to have a child driven lesson plan. You might also call it... learning through creative play, or trickery. (well you could)

I like the kids to think that they are "just playing," but really I am talking to them and their brains while they are playing. Take for example... the girl who goes in a part of the house that is not used for preschool. I gently tell her we are not playing in there. She finds a horse and asks if she can bring it along. I say "Oh you found HONEY HORSE." (make an h sound) Sure you can. Say Honey Horse + h sound." She did!

SO the plan today, review some of the Zoo Phonic Animal signs and sounds. Didn't go so well. SO we moved to the living room to learn that letters are in books. We read the Dr. Suess ABC Book. We got to L and the attention was lost. (We were fighting over foam letters.) I said, "Everyone grab a handful of letters and let's go throw them in the swimming pool." SO we moved outside. With all the letters in the pool, we made them swim, picked out a few to see what they were, and then got board. SO I said, "Now let's take some letters and make them jump on the trampoline." We bounced some letters on the tramp. Then suggested they throw them off and try to hit me with them. (Not the proudest moment... teaching your kids to throw things at each other.) The smaller girls were being bounced too hard, SO we moved to the sandbox where letters were buried. Someone wanted a shovel so my lovely assistant went for them. Oops! Bubbles were in the basket. Well, why not? So I began to sing, "Bubbles begin with a B."

While everyone was happy playing, I talked with each child individually about what their names began with. We would find the corresponding foam letter. One child wanted to go in the house.... SO we went and had snack time. We finished our ABC book. We worked on our table manners. You all should be so proud. There were so many "I would like, may I, and Please." We ran out of chocolate milk. (don't tell Paul that we used his recovery drink.) SO, we went to Q's room. The kids just wanted to play. We took this opportunity to learn to share, to use our words instead of crying, and that yelling and screaming will get you on a green chair. (Yes, I let your children sit in Grandma's antique chairs and bang things on her coffee table. She is probably rolling in her grave.)

We ended the day with singing time. That too is child driven. We sang the ABC song while banging drums or pie tins. That brought everyone to the room. However, we lost a few during Old McDonald Had a Farm. Bumble Bee is always a favorite. With ten minutes to spare, we went outside to draw with sidewalk chalk. We drew pictures of things that began with B. (I hope the kids don't get board on B day.) We ended with a round of Ring Around the Rosies, until it was interrupted by a dog named BELLE. SO, we all petted the dog as I sang, "Belle begins with a _____?"

"B" they all yelled!